When did you start thinking about it?
Sometime late last year, when some people asked what I would do next after my rector’s term and if I would like to run for president.
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You registered your presidentzima.cz domain in 2018.
Yes, because there was a lot of speculation at the time. I didn’t want them to harm Charles University in any way.
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What made you apply?
The country is divided and in my profession of doctor, teacher, but also in all managerial roles of the head of the department, the dean of the faculty, the rector of the university, I tried to put different groups together. My vision is for our country to be united so that we can overcome the current crises, whether energy or inflation, which is one of the highest in the EU.
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It is necessary to find a solution in a peaceful way, by agreement. Since then, there are mainly NATO and the EU
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You have been politically active since your youth. When did you join the Communist Party?
I became a candidate of the Communist Party in 1984.
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What attracted you there?
Changing things around me was never indifferent to what was going on around me. I was approached by a grammar school teacher and I was in the Communist Party for six years out of my 56. I never kept secret that I was in the party. It is a publicly known figure and at the faculty where I was still a party member, I was elected dean in 2005. In a recent extensive article on SeznamZprávy.cz is a statement from my classmate, who was chairman of the strike committee, that I did not exalt myself over anyone and that I did not do any wrongdoing.
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What did you do during the Velvet Revolution?
I was on the city’s university council and on behalf of the SSM faculty I signed a request to the District National Committee of Prague 2 that a demonstration in Albertov be allowed. And that was, that’s why so many people came there.
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You have heard a lot during the pandemic, and for your views you have received the Wandering Ironman anti-prize from the Sisyphus Scientific Society. Do you admit a mistake?
I made one mistake made by many others when I said in May 2020 that there would be few dead in a pandemic. Sisyphus blames me for one sentence that we gain immunity when we become infected. This is a sentence that no one has refuted. There was no vaccine in the summer of 2020, but as soon as it was, I recommended it to everyone. So, of course, first to those who are most at risk.
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My vision is a country without extremes, where everyone will feel good
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The sentence reads: “I’m just saying what just happens in nature, which you don’t recommend. If young people meet and go through it, they will develop antibodies. And in general, you get the best immunity by having the disease. ”
It’s about getting people together to live in the summer months as normally as possible after that very hard lockdown.
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But as early as the beginning of 2020, Johns Hopkins University of America had plenty of data on covid mortality and infectivity. And nowhere in the world has it been possible to curb the spread of coronavirus by isolating only one population and the other not. The disease has always run through society.
Of course, she did, but perhaps in retrospect, the Swedish model, which was not so strict, was perhaps one of the most successful.
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Maybe, but let’s not disassemble Sweden now. Don’t you feel responsible that your statements have prompted people not to take the rules of protection of themselves and others so seriously?
Certainly not. I encouraged everyone to follow hygiene rules, to wear veils indoors. And as soon as the vaccine was available, I promoted it.
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But going back to how you said young people should meet and make antibodies…
I did not say that. The sentence I am accused of is in all immunology textbooks – that you will gain immunity when you encounter the disease. That’s the way it is in nature. Sure, it’s ideal to get immunity by vaccination, but that wasn’t possible until 2021.
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Then you are accused: “We are guinea pigs in the hands of theoretical immunologists, mathematicians and experimenters who model different situations here.” Isn’t this a statement that encourages non-compliance?
This sentence is not about rules, but about how something has always changed. Let’s remember how many different models, how many people invented different dogs and traffic lights and how everything changed from day to day. The worst was the uncertainty. It was said on Monday that it was white, on Tuesday yellow, on Wednesday red and on Friday white again. And the worst thing for a person in such a difficult situation with great mental strain is when the rules change almost every day. And that’s why it looked so bad in our country.
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This was done by a political decision. But your statements of clarity did not help the situation. If you question immunology, mathematics…
Some immunologists and some mathematicians and there is a difference between a theoretical and a clinical immunologist.
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… Then one does not know who to trust.
There was a Challenge Eleven group, of which I was a part, where statisticians from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics sat, two prominent clinical immunologists, and others who had similar views as I did.
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The president should follow written and unwritten rules and use his powers in moderation and prudence
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Minority.
Back to the presidential campaign. How do you intend to enrich the fight?
Experience, definitely a fair and decent approach. My vision is a country without extremes, where everyone will feel good, I will try to support the art and talent of Czech people, who are not much written about or talked about. There are a lot of good people here in various fields. I certainly want to support social issues, help those in need and support education for people from children to seniors, because the more educated society is, the richer it is and less prone to extremes.
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Are you leaning towards the left?
I am centered, although today it is difficult to say which side is right and left. That blurs a lot today. In some opinions I’m a little more to the right, in some a little to the left.
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Do you think that you can beat Andrej Babiš if he runs?
Yes. One must go with the vision of winning and feel the chance to defeat the challenger.
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Would you try to benefit from the criticism of the current government, or would you rather support it?
The president and the government are to work together to find common solutions for the benefit of the state. But I blame the government, even though I support it, for misinterpreting some of the steps. For example, 5,000 crowns for children is a good move, but it has been talked about for two months and it has not been decided. It was supposed to be simple, transparent. As they say, he who gives quickly gives twice.
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And then the question is whether the government should further reduce the excise tax on fuel. If prices are high, the state will raise more money in excise duty or VAT, but then it will have to redistribute aid to almost a third of the population at risk of subsistence problems.
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And what about the government’s stance on helping refugees and supporting Ukraine in the fight?
The sovereign state of Ukraine has been invaded by Russia, so of course you need to help those who are invaded and suffering. It is necessary to help the women and children who are here.
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What conflict resolution would you support?
I am the enemy of a war solution to the conflict, this is the last step. Some political negotiations have probably failed there in the past, and it must be borne in mind that the problem in the Donbas has been for eight years. The focus of tension was there and was not addressed by either the EU states or those who are supposed to address it. And now it is necessary to find a solution in a peaceful way, by agreement. Since then, there have been mainly groups such as NATO and the EU, and policy needs to be coordinated with them.
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Do you think it would be worthwhile to let Ukraine sacrifice some territory to Russia?
I am mainly in favor of ending the suffering of ordinary people, women and children, as soon as possible.
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Probably everyone.
There is a need to stop the war and to hold negotiations coordinated between the EU, NATO, the USA. We should be synergistic and effective.
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Would you be in favor of Ukraine’s accession to the EU?
If the criteria are met for everyone, why not. We will help Ukraine, the country will need to be rebuilt. But there are certain rules for joining the EU and they should be met. At least to a greater extent.
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What relations would you have with China?
Standard as with the other 180 countries of the world.
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I ask because you established a Czech-Chinese center at Charles University, which was to serve as an institution for the dissemination of Chinese propaganda…
According to some experts who know the issue, yes.
I didn’t go into that interest. It was a platform where there were representatives of individual faculties working with Chinese universities on a scientific and professional basis, and it was more of a coordinating matter to know how the cooperation works. It was more of a discussion about what can be done, what is being done, etc. For example, at Charles University there has never been a Confucius Institute like at other schools, which is a purely propaganda tool.
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It lasted three years. Was it a step next door?
The situation somehow developed, then problems arose there, so it disappeared. That’s the way it goes sometimes.
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Would you follow the diplomacy of all azimuths of President Zeman?
The Czech Republic should have good friendly relations with peaceful countries around the world. But the key role and coordination of our foreign policy is the EU and NATO.
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How will your campaign be funded?
So far, it is funded by my personal resources. Many friends help me. A transparent account has been opened, to which some people will certainly contribute.
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Do you count on stronger sponsors?
They could be. It is important that they are transparent, pay taxes and have no problems with the Czech legal system.
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Among them may be the HomeCredit of the PPF group, with which you signed the contract as rector, but in the end you had to back out of it because the academic community rebelled against it?
She was annoyed that the company provided small loans with high interest rates, but also the condition that the university should refrain from anything that could damage the company’s reputation. The contract has been terminated. But the contract was to provide support for two projects at two faculties worth 1.5 million. If HomeCredit supports me, it’s up to them. I did not discuss my support with HomeCredit.
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How many signatures of citizens do you already have for the required 50,000?
There are several thousand signatures at the moment. I started collecting in different places, sending out sheets to friends and acquaintances.
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How would you deal with presidential powers – by presidential pardon, amnesty, would you appoint an unconditional government?
It always depends on the specific situation. As I said, I am against extremes, the president should follow written and unwritten rules and use his powers sparingly and prudently.
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Would you sign same-sex couples?
The answer to the previous question applies. If the law approved by both chambers of parliament does not violate the basic constitutional rules of the Czech Republic, the president should respect it.
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